Product display package



Oct. 29, 1963 A. APICELLA 3,108,684

' PRODUCT DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed Aug. 3, 1961 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l I l lll nul ni 'lh hn 'm I mml lfl q HH HI I I 1I 24 INVENTOR 6'6 ||t......,m|' QNDREW APICELLA Y B 317g .5. 64 "'"M a ATTORNEY Oct. 29,- 1963 A. APICELLA PRODUCT DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed Aug. 3, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ANDREW APICE LA ATTORNEY 3,lti5,684 PRGDUCT DHSPLAY PACKAGE Andrew Apiceila, Elmhurst, N.Y., assignor to Bristol- Myers tlonipany, New York, N.Y.., a cor oration of Delaware Filed Aug. 3, 1961, Ser. No. l29,il55 lit Qlaims. ii. 2ilt;--S.3l}

This invention relates broadly to an improved package and is more specifically directed to a product display package having a plurality of components.

There are certain basic principles inherent in the best technique for the sales of products, particularly cosmetic items, and the purpose of this invention is to enable one to utilize all such techniques in a novel and most economical fashion.

It is desirable to permit the purchaser to see the actual product; normally this requires at least a partially transparent glass container, with its expense, fragility and weight, or a more expensive plastic container with its problems of loss of product fragrance through the transmission of the volatile perfume oils through the plastic itself. A package embodying the present invention achieves the desired result without these attendant disadvantages.

It is also desirable to present visually to the purchaser the function of the product and the environment in which it will be used. This is normally accomplished by spaceconsuming and relatively expensive point-of-sale display material, but such material can be effective only in the store and to the extent that it is remembered in the home. A package embodying the present invention incorporates a clear disclosure of the function of the product and the environment of its use, which disclosure will at all times accompany the product.

It is recognized that movement of the product or display material at the point-of-sale has great eye-catching ability and is most conductive to create a purchasing impulse. The package embodying the present invention is peculiarly adapted to achieve the appearance of movement with the expenditure of much less power from an external source than heretofore required, and in fact is so inherently mobile that when positioned on the typical glass counter found in most drug stores or beauty shops, the appearance of motion is achieved Without any external source of power other than the almost infinitesimal vibrations created in the counter during normal sales activities occurring all the time on it.

Briefly, the display package of the present invention includes three major components, namely a container having an opening or aperture in at least one panel, a transparent package or envelope partially filled with a flowable material positioned behind said aperture and one or more individual product-containing packages positioned behind said envelope, which packages may have printed thereon a scene depicting the function of the product or the environment of its use.

The invention will be most clearly understood by referring to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the body blank before shaping into the container portion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of one of the individual components of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of another of the individual components of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention assembled.

Turning now to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, there is shown in a display device it) including a carton or body 12, a product package 14 and a transparent envelope 16.

hlddfi ii Patented ot. 29, 1%63 ice The carton or body 12 (FIG. 2) has a front panel 18 (FIG. 5), rear panel 26*, side panels 22 and 24, bottom panel 26 and top panel 2%. Panels 18, 2t), 222ml 24 are folded along score lines 3ft to form the rectangular configuration best seen in FIG. 5. A layer of adhesive 32 or any suitable binding material may be affixed to body tab 34, along one edge thereof, so that when the body tab 34 is folded along score line 35, adhesive 32 will secure the tab 34 to the inner surface of panel 22. The top flaps 38 and bottom flaps id fold inwardly along score lines 42 and the bottom panel 26 and top panel 23 then told inwardly along score line The bottom tab 46 and top tab 48, integral bottom and top panels 26 and 28, respectively, fold inwardly along score lines 5% to form the enclosed carton or body 12..

The envelope 16 in the embodiment shown is fully transparent and is made of flexible clear plastic. Other materials could be used so long as such materials retain a transparent property. In certain cases and under certain conditions, it might be desirable to use an envelope which was merely tnanslucent, that is, one which would still allow for the passage of some light as distinguished from a true opaque envelope.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, the envelope to is hollow, having an enclosed central cavity 52 containing a flowable material 54 in a volume sufficient to bring the level 56 thereof to a predetermined height H from the bottom 58 of the cavity 52 within the envelope 16. In the embodiment, as illustrated, this flowable material 54 is a fully transparent liquid; it could be completely clear, or it could be tinted any appropriate color, and in instances where the product being sold is a liquid, for example a bath oil, the product itself can be the liquid in the envelope. The viscosity of the liquid is not considered to be pertinent or critical so long as it has enough fluidity or viscosity so that it is llowable.

Each package 14 (FIG. 3) is made of non-transparent paper, foil, plastic or other tearable material to afford easy access to the package interior and to render it convenient to dispense the contents of the package, which may be in powder, liquid or other form. In the embodiment shown the product is a bath oil to be mixed in the water of a bath or applied to the person in a shower. The package 14 may have imprinted on one face 69, a representation of a woman at bath including a representation of a tub filled with Water, as is shown, or it could have any other appropriate scene, preferably one showing the function of the product or the environment of its use.

The envelope in and the package 14 in the embodiment shown are both of the same over-all height R and width S so that when the envelope 16 is superimposed upon the package 14 (FIG. 1), the liquid level or simulated water line 56 in the tub appears to coincide with substantially the horizontal center line of the tub representation on the package 14. This is best seen in FIG. 1 where the envelope 16 has been placed within the carton l2 and a pasckage idplaced therebehind. If desired, for other reasons, level 56 could coincide with any line selected. The dimensions of the folded carton 12, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, are just slightly more than the height R and width S of the envelope 16 and packages 14 and when a supply of latter are inserted into carton l2, they achieve a snug fit. In the embodiment shown, both the height and the width of the envelope 16 and the package 14- are greater than the height and width of the aperture 62. However, the object of the invention will be achieved as long as the dimensions of envelope 16 and package l4 exceed the dimensions of aperture 62 in one direction; for example, as long as the height of envelope 16 is suficient to extend behind ribs 66 and 68 of front panel 18, envelope in will be held in place without any necessity that it also extend behind ribs 67 and 69 of front panel 18. Likewise, as lon as envelope 16 extends behind ribs 67 and 69, there is no necessity that it also extend behind ribs 66 and 68, for it will be found that when envelope 16 is made in the preferred form of clear flexible plastic, the natural bulge occasioned by the contents of envelope 16 will cause this envelope to project sufiiciently into or through aperture 62 so that envelope 16 is maintained in position.

Turning now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the aperture opening 62 in carton 12, through which the illusion of a woman at a bath appears framed by edges 4 of opening 62, is of a height X and width Y less than the height R and width S of the packages 14 or envelope 16 and also therefore less than the height and width of the panel face 13. In this particular embodiment the aperture 62 cut into carton face 18 provides ribs 66 and 63 at the top and bottom and ribs 67 and 69 at the sides of the front carton panel 18. It is obvious, however, that only two sets of opposing ribs are necessary. If desired aperture 62 could extend entirely across the front panel, leaving only ribs 66 and 68 with no ribs 67 and 69, and likewise, aperture 62 could extend the full height of the panel leaving only ribs 67 and 69 with no ribs 65 and 63. Envelope 16 may have a layer of adhesive 70 applied to one or more of its edge areas 72, 73, '74 and 75 and may be secured to one or more carton rib areas 66, 67, 68 and 69. In this way envelope 16 can be held tightly in position against the inner face of panel 18 after some of the package 14 is removed from carton 12, which removal would otherwise permit envelope 16 to fall out of position through the destruction of the snug fit of the components within carton 12 which normally holds envelope 16 in place.

After container 12 is folded to rectangular shape and the bottom panel 26 folded into place, the top panel 23 remains raised and the flaps 33 extended. The envelope 16 is then placed into the carton 12 adjacent the inner surface of front panel 18. As aforenoted adhesive layers 70 may be used to secure envelope 16 to the interior surfaces of front panel 1% to maintain said envelope 16 immobile within carton 12. A plurality of product packages 14 may then be inserted into container 12 behind the single transparent liquid holding envelope 16 filling the space between envelope 16 and the inner surface of rear panel 20 (FIG. 5). The flaps 33 are folded inwardly and top tab 48 inserted between the most rearward package 14 and the inside surface of rear carton panel 20. If desired, one envelope l6 backed by any desired number of packages 14, may be inserted as one unit at the same time into carton 12.

Thus, when assembled and viewed as seen in FIG. 1, the embodiment shown presents the illusion of a woman at bath wherein the pictorial representation on the exposed package 14 is visible through the transparent envelope 16 and opening 62 in panel 18 and the liquid in the envelope 16 is at a height sutlicient to bring its upper surface level 56 to a point substantially horizontal at the middle line of the tub shown in the picture imprinted on the viewed face of the package 14. The edges 64- of the opening 62 give a further effect of a framed picture thus giving a greater effect to the display device.

Therefore, when all the components are assembled there is provided a display package containing the goods wherein the package presents to examination by viewing, a clear picture of the product within the package and also use intended for the product contained in the package. Furthermore, it will be seen that the slightest movement or vibration of this display package is suflicient to set the liquid in envelope 16 in motion and to create an attractive, eye-catching appearance of realism.

While the invention has been described by particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention.

4% Therefore, in the appended claims, it is intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A display container including the combination of a carton having a front panel with an aperture therein and a rear panel, a partially transparent envelope within said carton and positioned adjacent the inner surface of said front panel to block said aperture, said envelope being partially filled with a fiowable substance, and an opaque product package positioned between said envelope and the rear panel of said carton, the product package face adjacent said envelope being visible through the aperture of said front panel and said envelope, the relationship between said envelope and said package being such that movement of said flowable substance within said envelope is readily visible against the background of said product package face.

2. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein the fiowable substance is a liquid.

3. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein the display container includes a single transparent envelope and a plurality of product packages, said product packages being positioned to fill the carton space between said envelope and said rear panel of said carton.

4-. A display container as defined in claim 3 wherein said envelope is secured to the inside face of said front panel provided with said aperture.

5. A display container comprising a carton having one panel provided with an aperture, a transparent envelope of greater size than said aperture positioned behind said aperture and being partially filled with a liquid to provide a water line visible through said aperture, and a productcontaining package having an imprinted face positioned behind said transparent envelope with imprinted material visible through said aperture and through said envelope, the movement of said surface line being readily visible against the background provided by said opaque productcontaining package.

6. In a display carton the combination of an aperture through which the interior of said carton is visible, a disposable product containing opaque package within the interior of said carton and a partially transparent envelope partially filled with a fiowable substance to provide a surface line interposed between said aperture and said package, the movement of said surface line being readily visible against the background provided by said opaque product-containing package.

7. A display package comprising a carton having one panel provided with an aperture, a transparent, resilient plastic envelope partially filled with a liquid to provide a water line, said envelope being positioned behind said aperture and having at least one dimension greater than the corresponding dimension of said aperture, said water line being visible through said aperture, and a plurality of non-transparent packages each containing a quantity of product positioned in said carton behind said envelope with the face of the non-transparent package adjacent said envelope visible through said envelope and through said aperture, the movement of said surface line being readily visible against the background provided by said opaque product-containing package.

8. A carton provided with an aperture in one panel thereof, an opaque product package within said carton, transparent means positioned within the carton between said opaque product package and said aperture, and a flowable substance retained within said transparent means to provide a movable surface line visible through said aperture as a movable foreground in relation to said opaque product package.

9. A display container including the combination of a carton having its front panel provided with opening defining edges intermediate pcripheral edges of said panel, means providing an opaque designed background behind the opening defined by said first-mentioned edges, a transparent envelope directly in front of said designed background and positioned across said opening, and a flowable substance partially filling and retained Within said transparent envelope providing a movable surface line visible as a movable foreground in relation to and correlated With said opaque designed background.

10. A display package comprising a carton having one panel provided With an aperture, a transparent envelope partially filled with a flowable material providing a readily movable surface line, said envelope being of a greater size in at least one direction than the size of said aperture in said direction and positioned directly behind said aperture, and an opaque product-containing package positioned behind said envelope, the movement of said surface line being readily visible against the background provided by said opaque product-containing package.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Todd Aug. 31, Hanisch July 15, Small Dec. 23, Shopflocker Oct. 8, Locke Dec. 5, Fisher Sept. 29, Heit Dec. 15, Mulford Aug. 15, Banks May 5, Samann Aug. 7, Hennessey Dec. 11, Seibel Sept. 2, Ayan Jan. 19, Adell Feb. 2, 

1. A DISPLAY CONTAINER INCLUDING THE COMBINATION OF A CARTON HAVING A FRONT PANEL WITH AN APERTURE THEREIN AND A REAR PANEL, A PARTIALLY TRANSPARENT ENVELOPE WITHIN SAID CARTON AND POSITIONED ADJACENT THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FRONT PANEL TO BLOCK SAID APERTURE, SAID ENVELOPE BEING PARTIALLY FILLED WITH A FLOWABLE SUBSTANCE, AND AN OPAQUE PRODUCT PACKAGE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID ENVELOPE AND THE REAR PANEL OF SAID CARTON, THE PRODUCT PACKAGE FACE ADJACENT SAID ENVELOPE BEING VISIBLE THROUGH THE APERTURE OF SAID FRONT PANEL AND SAID ENVELOPE, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID ENVELOPE AND SAID PACKAGE BEING SUCH THAT MOVEMENT OF SAID FLOWABLE SUBSTANCE WITHIN SAID ENVELOPE IS READILY VISIBLE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF SAID PRODUCT PACKAGE FACE. 